The birth of Jesus narrated in Matthew's Gospel highlights not only Isaiah's prophecy but also Joseph's obedience to God's plan.
«Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife with you [...]» (Mt 1:20).
As the little work in the Sources tells us: "Sacrum Commercium", Francis, a righteous and fearful man, married Our Lady Poverty, with a mutual exchange of gifts and promises, with a commitment of love and fidelity summed up by one word: "Covenant".
We read:
"Thus enamoured of your beauty, the Son of the Most High Father to you alone was closely united in the world and knew you for proof most faithful in all things.
Even before He came to earth from the splendour of His homeland, Thou didst prepare for Him a worthy habitation, a throne on which to sit, and a throne in which to rest, namely, the most poor Virgin, from whom He was born to shine upon this world.
To him as soon as he was born with solicitude you ran to meet him, so that he might find in you, and not in softness, a place that would be pleasing to him.
He was laid, says the evangelist, in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn.
In the same way, never parting from him, you always accompanied him, so that throughout his life, when he appeared on earth and lived among men, while the foxes had their dens and the birds of heaven their nests, he had nowhere to lay his head.
And later when he, who had once opened the mouth of the prophets, opened his mouth to teach, he first wanted to praise you, he first exalted you with the words: blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (FF 1977).
This is echoed by Clare of Assisi, who in one of her letters to her spiritual daughter, writes:
"If, therefore, such and so great a Lord, coming down in the Virgin's womb, wanted to appear in the world as a despicable, needy and poor man, so that men - who were very poor and destitute, hungry because of the excessive scarcity of heavenly nourishment - might become rich in Him by possessing the heavenly realms, exult and enjoy greatly, filled with enormous joy and spiritual gladness" (FF 2865).
Weekday Liturgy, 18 December (Mt 1:18-24)
